LILLE (France): Matthew Strazel’s game-tying four-point play in the regular time and Victor Wembanyama’s eight points in the overtime helped hosts France escape with a 94-90 win over Japan in the men’s basketball competition of Paris 2024 here on Tuesday.
Trailing by 84-80 with 10 second left in the fourth quarter, Strazel made an off-the-balance 3-pointer and drew a foul for a chance to drag the match into overtime.
The guard, who had 17 points, buried the following free-throw and saved France from the edge of the cliff, Xinhua news agency reported.
Centre Wembanyama, who had 18 points, 11 rebounds and six assist, stepped in to score France’s first eight points in the overtime for a 92-84 lead.
Japan didn’t score until Yuki Kawamura’s 3-pointer with 34 seconds to go. Makoto Hiejima made another one to cut the deficit to 92-90 but eight seconds were not enough for Japan to turn the table around.
Kawamura had 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but Japan’s top scorer Rui Hachimura was ordered to go on his second sportsmanship foul at the start of the fourth quarter when he already had 25 points. — BERNAMA-XINHUA
